Marvel Database
Register
Advertisement

Quote1 I never signed up to be super evil. I'm more chaotic neutral, really. Quote2
Poppo the Cunning[src]

History

Poppo the Cunning is an Asgardian sorcerer. He served under Casiolena, and once she threw a fit at a dinner after being mistaken for Enchantress, both were banished from Asgard, to Poppo's dismay given he was made guilty by association.[1]

Once banned, Poppo was recruited along with Casiolena by Ollerus the Unmerciful, who sought to replace Hela as the God of Death. Poppo "braved a thousand deaths and worse" to steal the Crystal of Eternal View, which he used to view other worlds. Once Poppo watched the return of the Valkyrie to Hela's forces through the Crystal, he devised a plan that would use the Valkyrie against Hela's forces, turning the tide of battle to Ollerus's favor. Said plan involved Poppo using his magic to rise a mountain amid a battle between Hela and Ollerus' armies, causing an earthquake that broke the battle up. Valkyrie investigated the mountain and was drawn through a portal to her original body. She touched it and the souls switched; Valkyrie was unconscious in her true form, while the form she'd been using became possessed by the soul of the maddened Barbara Norriss.[2]

To ensure the true Valkyrie would be kept prisoner, Poppo fired mystic bolts at Brunnhilde and put a spell on her door so that she could not escape. The Barbara Norriss Valkyrie duped the Defenders into joining Ollerus' army, and Poppo could even use her along with the Crystal to slay Earth men and women and transport their souls to Valhalla, where they added to the Unmerciful's troops.[3] However, once the true Valkyrie broke free, the Defenders rallied with Hela's forces against the forces of Ollerus and, when the Hulk destroyed Ollerus's mountain, proved triumphant. All the defeated were banished to Niffleheim.[4]

Poppo and Casiolena eventually broke out of Niffelheim and escaped to New York, where the sorceress build a base at an abandoned hospital on Roosevelt Island, and started recruiting superpowered people for an army that would help her get control of Midgard. Casiolena's cranky behavior got worse once she discovered Hellcat, one of the Defenders who foiled her decades prior, was also looking to help the gifted. Eventually Hellcat and Valkryie ended up as Casiolena's prisoners.[5] However, Poppo had had enough of working with such an unpleasant person, and while following Casiolena's orders to restrain Valkyrie's winged horse Aragorn, he grabbed Hellcat's cellphone and started an app which would inform her location to her friend Ian. Once back, Casiolena asked Poppo to remove the tongues of the prisoners, an order which he questioned. This led to a diminished version of the intended torture, where Poppo would only gag them with duct tape. The women easily got the best of Poppo and restrained him with the tape. Following Hellcat comparing Casiolena to Enchantress, the sorceress threw a fit and attacked the prisoners and Poppo with her magic. Suddenly, She-Hulk and Ian broke into the facility riding on Aragorn, and She-Hulk tackled Casiolena. Poppo was ordered to help his queen, but he replied that "I think I'm gonna sit this one out". Angry, Casiolena tried to kill him with a boulder made out of debris, but she was stopped by Ian's telekinesis. Hellcat then pounced on Casiolena, defeating the Asgardian, as Valkyrie and She-Hulk helped contain her. Poppo then took the opportunity to call Casiolena out, revealing his long resentment for being mistreated and eventual action to "call the cavalry". The heroes praised Poppo, and while Valkyrie carried him back she stated he would be welcomed back to Asgard.[1]

Attributes

Powers

Poppo had strong magic powers upon introduction. However, these seemed to be tied to Ollerus, as he said to Poppo "the source of the power is within me, thou dids't but channel it".[3] Thus Poppo appeared to have no supernatural abilities following his banishment to Niffelheim.

Weaknesses

Unlike most Asgardians, Poppo has a baseline human strength, and was easily defeated by Valkyrie, Hellcat and Bailey.

Paraphernalia

Equipment

The Crystal of Eternal View, which would be later be passed onto Casiolena.

Notes

  • Poppo is shorter than Ollerus, who had to look down in order to see him.[2] The narration calls Poppo a "pint-sized" prestidigitator (magician).[2]

See Also

Links and References

References

Advertisement